Trans Health-Sexual Health for Transmen
2017-08-03
Sexual health is part of being human. Like anyone else, as a transgender man you want to feel positive about your body. You want to have sex that is safe, feels good, and is rewarding.
Each transman is unique.
• You may or may not have had surgery.
• You may or may not take hormones.
• What you like to do when you have sex is unique to you
Take care of your body. It’s important to being a healthy man.
What about my chest health?
Even if you’ve had your chest redone, you may still be at risk of cancer. Talk with your provider about getting chest health screenings and mammograms. Tell your provider about any family history of breast cancer.
What about STDs?
Like anyone else who has sex, transmen are at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). People get STDs from having oral, anal, and vaginal sex. But you can protect yourself:
• Use a condom or a dental dam every time you have sex.
• Get tested for STDs and HIV. Ask your provider how often to get tested.
• If you have an STD, get treated right away.
What if I take hormones?
Taking testosterone (T) will often cause your periods to stop in 1 to 6 months. You may get cramps during or after orgasm. If you have this pain often, talk to your provider. T can also thin the walls of the vagina. You could to use a low dose estrogen cream inside the vagina to keep it from thinning too much. This will help the vagina from bleeding if you have vaginal sex , which lowers the chances of getting an STD, especially HIV.
What about the health of the cervix?
Transmen are at risk for cancer of the cervix, uterus and ovaries if they still have these parts. The cervix is the opening part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Cancer of the cervix is caused by certain types of a virus called HPV. It can be passed by skin to skin contact during sex. Ask your provider about getting the HPV vaccine to help protect you from HPV. Transmen with a cervix may also need a Pap test. The Pap test looks at cells from the cervix to see if there are any signs of cancer. Talk to your provider about when and how often you should get a Pap test done. Do I still need a pelvic exam? If you haven’t had surgery, yes. Your provider will check your organs with a pelvic exam. Your provider will check the uterus and ovaries for anything unusual. You may also need further tests. Tell your provider what would make you feel most comfortable during the exam.
Can I still get pregnant?
Some transmen have had surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries. These transmen cannot get pregnant. But, if you still have a uterus and ovaries, you can still get pregnant even if you take testosterone (T). If you don’t want to get pregnant, be sure to use condoms or another birth control method. There are a few birth control methods that do not have hormones. Talk to your provider about which methods are right for you. What if I want to get pregnant? If you still have a uterus and ovaries and want to get pregnant, you will need to stop taking T. High levels of T in your body during pregnancy can cause birth defects in the baby. Talk to your provider before you try to get pregnant.